Vice President JD Vance: US ready to negotiate but warns Iran not to ‘play’

US Vice President JD Vance warned Tehran not to “play” in the lead-up to ceasefire talks beginning on Saturday after President Donald Trump threatened retaliation if talks do not go to plan.

“If the Iranians are willing to negotiate in good faith, we’re certainly willing to extend the open hand,” Vance told reporters before taking off for Islamabad, where talks mediated by Pakistan are due to take place.

But “if they’re going to try to play us, then they’re going to find the negotiating team is not that receptive”, he added.

The comments come as a fragile ceasefire hangs in the balance between the two nations, after Trump threatened to wipe out “a whole civilisation” in Iran on Tuesday.